how long is acceptable for contact from LEA?

[bonkerz]

Last contact i had with SENA case worker was week before half term. She is meant to be looking for a school for DS but i have had no contact from her despite me sending 3 emails and 2 to her boss. Parent partnership have also tried to contact them and so have PRU where DS is attending. Do oyu think im being unreasonable to expect a return call/email/letter by now considering we are talking nearly 4 weeks since a requewst was made for information?!
Also do you think if i print our all the emails i have sent requesting information regarding DS and take them tribunal i will be bale to point out lack of communication????

No - you are not unreasonable. I think it deeply pissoffing there is no contact. However, the case worker is just that - a clerical worker who is at the mercy and whims of the bosses and probablly it has been passed up the line and someone is off sick or something. Even so - they should have got back to you to let you know what is happening. The deafening silence, however, probablly means that they know they are beat.

I'd give it a go. I think you have to request your SENDIST clerk if you can submit it as evidence but if you haven't yet put in your case statement then I think you can include it as part of that and the emails as appendices.

case statement has to be in by 19th so i think i will include it just to back up what im saying about lack of communication and DS being 'dumped and stranded' and the PRU.

Whats done it today is i had a call from PUR where DS is and the head there says DS has had 2 really bad days, no obvious triggers for these days (except his teacher has been off sick BUT head says that shouldnt bother DS!! YEAH RIGHT!!!) Head then went on to say DS was being afffected negitively by being at PRU this long and needed to be intergrated into a permanent school ASAP!!!!!!

Im so cross about it all again. PRU putting pressure on me BUT LEA wont listen to what i think is best for DS

Can you get PRU head to write the LEA and copy you a letter stating all of this. It would really do your case good and you can include it in the case statement. After all if he's not doing well in the PRU how the heck is he going to survive in mainstream - especially once he's going to go on to secondary.

I think you are winning the battle - even if it doesn't feel like it. I remember feeling so frustrated it felt sort of itchy inside my brain.

just what training do the PRU have with kids with ASD. I agree with the others - that you should have had a response earlier, and that hopefully the PRU can put some pressure on LEA rather than you about a permanent school.

Problem is PRU think my DS is 'normal' they disagree with everything the psych and other proffessionals say about my DS and ASD. The head today said in a very patronising tone "but mrs bonkerz DS doesnt have autism does he!!!" My reply ofcourse was WELL whilst he doesnt have a formal diagnosis he is having the ADOS test next month, does have ODD and othe problems all realting to the AS specturm and his psych have stated in their communications that DS needs to be treated like he is on the spectrum!

I keep getting told he is doing well at PRu and under control which completely contradicts everything he said when he contacted me today. He has sent home a letter saying about the damage DS has done today and that he had to be restrained which i will obviously include in the Case statement along with the exclusion from the PRu in April BUT the Pru are supporting the LEA in stating that DS could cope in MS!!!

PRU head today said he had autism outreach in last week and that they have lots of training in ASD, i dont actually see that training TBH!!!!!

well all the hassling paid off had a garbled message left on my home phone answer machine to say DSs case WILL be going back to lea panel in 16th June to ask for a special school to be named in statement. Shall we take bets that will be turned down despite all the evidence?????

Well good luck for Monday!!

had my cards read last night by a tarot reader and the first card signalled battle and the last card was justice! fingers crossed!!! cards also suggessted that the people involed are all bickering about whats best and if i stepped back and relinquished control and let things flow for a while it would get sorted out alot quicker!!

A good omen perhaps! Fingers crossed!

finally have full report from the priory school detailing that they can meet every need on DSs statement and exactly how they will do that! SALT etc is all included in price BUt they say there is a small fee for behavioural therepy although i expect this will be offered via CAMHS so will be free to LEA really and Priory have been very clever in the report and recommended LEA offer continuity in this area so he gets weekly sessions at either priry or camhs!

panel meet today, am so nervous but wont hear till tomorrow probably what outcome is.
If they decide on allowing special school then they will be digging own grave really cos priory only one within travelling distance, mind you if they still insist on MS then they gonna look like fools at SENDIST cos evidence for him to be in special school is overwhelming!!

BETS PLEASE LADIES?????

A: Special school but not priory
B: Speical school and priory
c: MS school

Fingers crossed for priory. It will mean some big expenditure on their part so they are probablly having to get very senior big wigs to OK it and the money men to look up from their calculators to say it is OK.

possibly special school but not priory. I'm just thinking that they might offer a special school like my son is at (very like priory) but, because of the distance from you, will mean he weekly boards - even including that it is still about £20,000 cheaper than priory (and is independent). BUT then they have to add on weekly transport costs to that and not to Priory so Priory looks like a winner to me.

I can't think that they can be going for MS school - where???? I think a blank has been drawn there.

GOOD LUCK. Am crossing everything.

Mine had his braces fitted today. There is a lot of drool happening at our house . . .

The CAMHS specialists have already told LEA that DS would not be compatible for residential school due to hi high emotional state / anxiety / insecurity etc. To travel daily there would mean 4 hours a day in a taxi and i have already been told transport to that particular school will be £48 each way plus £15 each way for escort!! so nearly 20k a year in transport costs which makes priory look more and more appealing!!!
the other special school close by have already said DS would not pass admission panel due to his aggression!
That only leaves the priory but we will have to wait and see. I think the only way they will agree to it is if they are forced to by SENDISt TBh. Someone in the know told me that LEA will not grant the school and would prefer SENDIST to force them so they can justify the expenditure to council....they HAD to do it IYKWIM!!!

good luck for the priory tomorrow!

that scenario of LEA arse covering does sound horribly plausible.

fucking case worker. Contacted her via email yesterday to ask her to email me the panel decision. Have had no reply so just rang to ask if panel info back, another woman in the office said yes they are and case worker is in her office i will pass you over......whats your name......told her my name and shockingly case worker has had to nip out!!! Have left a message stating that UNLESS i get a call BEFORE 3pm with results i will get my lawyer to arrange a meeting first thing in the morning!!!

Am so fed up now although TBH this panel decision wont make much difference unless they have agreed to priory!

gits. hopefully she will e-mail you pronto if she's that keen to avoid taking your call.

results are in and panel say DS can be reintergrated into mainstream school! Basically the PRU are saying DS is fine and able to cope with MS. Case worker ahs said she doesnt know where this school is. I rang PRu and spent a long time talking to the head there. He basically feels DS can go to MS but it may take another year before he has the skills to manage in MS AND he felt the MS would need to ensure they have a similar set up to the PRU....Have told him he has to find that school. What followed was a long talk about who knows DS best, he says his experiance means he knows best,i ofcourse am now doubting my abilities as a mother and feeling completely shit.
Dont know where to go from here. Feel like im losing everything, my marriage is suffering, our finances are suffering and i feel like grabbing DS and DD and running away from the whole thing.

oh f*ck, sorry that the outcome was so rubbish.

SENDIST here you come

Much sympathies.

Cannot write much now

Contact you soon.

You are not rubbish mother. Wish to run is perfectly normal.

You have TONS of evidence.

FINALLY Autism outreach have agreed i have enough evidence about DS issues that they will help me. Up till now they have said without a formal diagnosis of ASD they cannot get involved but today i sat down with the co-ordinator for our area and showed her everything about DS, docs letters, camhs letters, diagnosis so far, ASD traits as agreed by CAMHS, statement and the letter to say ADOS test being done next month. She has filled out a form for funding to find respite help, funding for other things that would help and also said she will personally sort out SS involvement for us. Hopefully we can get some help for DS to get him into some groups etc too which he desparately needs.

I'm glad you've got someone working with you at last! Sounds like you've been having a really crappy time of it lately - I hope Autism Outreach can help you turn things around. It doesn't sound like you can do much more yourself, I'd say you have put up a very impressive fight for your ds and you don't deserve the rubbish you are coming across - especially not case workers who make you feel bad! on your behalf!